Sacramento Kings New Arena Floor Will Be Made of Recycled Sneakers

After a lengthy battle to keep the Sacramento Kings in Sacramento, the franchise is now moving closer and closer to their new home in a downtown arena. The Golden 1 Center is scheduled to open before next season. With the arena heading towards the final stretch, the building of the interior is now underway, including the hardwood court, which will use recycled sneakers to create the foam cushioning that is an important part of the flooring.

The Kings are asking fans to donate their used basketball shoes, which will in turn be utilized in the foam’s manufacturing. The foam helps distribute weight and create a more cushioned environment for players. It also an important part of making the floor of the new arena portable.

In true Sacramento fashion, the Kings are requesting that no Kobe sneakers be donated via the “Editor’s Note…“This is a unique opportunity for fans to be a part of an important element of the new arena, so we kindly ask fans not to donate any Kobe’s. 😉

If you want to donate there are two ways to do so according to Kings.com:

AT SLEEP TRAIN ARENA: Bring shoes to the Kings-Pelicans game on Jan. 13 and drop them off at the main Sleep Train Arena entrance. We encourage fans to write a special message on the shoes prior to donation.

TWEET LOCATION: Tweet @SacramentoKings or @Kings_Community why your shoes should be included in the making of the new Kings court. Then, if your tweet is selected, the Kings RV will come to your house on Jan. 13 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. PST to collect your sneakers.

Nick Engvall is a sneaker enthusiast with 10+ years of experience in the footwear business. He has written for publications such as Complex, Sole Collector and Sneaker News. He's an avid San Francisco Giants fan, Allen Iverson fan, and owns way too many sneakers for his own good.